Where is the wow factor?

We have this extraordinary budget, marked by the first time that we have to dip into the reserves. Wow? Where is the wow factor? Why don't people get this feeling but feeling ordinary? $2.6b for family and $4.4b for homes. These together add up to $7b. Quite a substantial sum. If only they be given to the less than 1 million Singaporean households directly with each household getting $7,000, would it be more meaningful in times like this? And confining it to citizens only, the number of households could be just 500,000 and each household can receive $14,000 each. This will be the kind of angpow that will give the wow in the budget. The amount of effort put into dividing this sum under the budget is great and complicated. The amount given is so diversified that it would not create any ripple effect on the recipients. It is extraordinary to hand out such a big budget but not getting the feeling that it is a great relief from the people.

The exciting blogosphere

How could the old media(TOM) match the excitement in blogosphere? Last few days have been tremendously invigorating, amusing and exhilarating. The cooking class and the lesser mortal episodes were given full coverage, something that TOM can never do. There were plenty of vinegar, chilly, pepper and salt added to make the cooks irresistible to savour. TOM must be able to report them as profusely as the new media or they will lose out on the readership. Unfortunately this is something they cannot keep up with. But credit must go to TOM for firing the first shot. The new media simply followed through, seized the initiative and covered grounds that were taboo to TOM. And TOM could do nothing about it except to watch silently on the sideline. Come to think of it, if TOM and the new media could work hand in hand, wow, it will be an exciting new recipe.

Extraordinary budget in extraordinary time

$20.5b of aid package for the people and industry to tie over a difficult period. How did we end up in such a state that needs extraordinary measures? Don't we have extraordinary men and women doing extraordinary things to keep us in good shape? Or are we still looking for extraordinary men and women to make sure that we don't end up in such a state in the first place? Where were the extraordinary men and women? Enjoying their Porches and Louis Vuittons. I heard that these are the things to accumulate once a person has arrived. But these are common stuff now. Everyone has it. The next statement of having arrived is to attend Le Cordon Bleu culinary courses. That is a creative way to separate from the ordinary.

Culinary colleges or cooking class?

It is time we upgrade all our cooking classes in community centres into colleges. Shatec can be rebrand into a East West Fusion Culinary University. After the branding, the next thing is to revamp the courses and issue diplomas and degrees. And if we need to, employ a few western chefs to make them more respectable. We can have French chefs teaching fine dining Nonya style. This will be truly exotic and cannot be found anywhere in the world except maybe Penang and Malacca. Then the course fee can be inflated as well.

Three days after revelation

Three days have gone by after the revelation that we are living among demigods and immortals, and probably gods, and nothing is heard in the old media. Would there be any comments from the ethereal realm of the demigods, immortals and gods? Maybe not necessary as the revelation was a disclosure of a simple truth. No mistake was made. We used to live among supertalents. Now supertalents are aplenty with the influx of foreign supertalents. Perhaps a small distinction is necessary to distinguish the distinguished from the more distinguished. So local supertalents have been elevated to another realm of existence. Praise the lord. Hosana the most high! Oh the hat is going round. Got to put more money into the hat for more blessings. Bow deeply three times.